Armani Code Ultimate

This perfume has a warm, slightly sweet vibe with vanilla and spice notes—it might just become my daily go-to. I prefer it over the original version.

It had a strong, unpleasant odor, though I did test it on a blotter strip. Upon the first sniff, I found the cedar note overwhelming in its intensity. Armani Code seemed to reach a point where it felt overdone—heavy and generic when elevated to an "Ultimate" status. The original version, while not my personal style, still had a unique identity. I never wore the original because it wasn't for me, but I could see its charm. Still, this new flanker feels like a missed opportunity—a disappointing addition to an already impressive lineup.

This new perfume has just hit the shelves in Canada, and while it does have a pleasant scent, I don’t think it’s anything particularly special. I still believe the classic versions are superior. It’s got a full-bodied vibe, making it a great choice for evening or winter wear compared to the lighter, fresher scents of the classic line. There’s something about its leather tones that give it an inherently masculine, almost sultry vibe, as if it’s the alter-ego to the bright citrusy notes. While it might pair well with a suit and citrus for the office during the day, I can see it transforming into something more daring—like a leather jacket and jeans—with a sweet leather undertone by night.

"My husband used to slather himself with this perfume until I couldn’t stand the smell anymore and had no choice but to hide the bottle somewhere. It might have gone off or something, and he used to keep all his perfumes in his car trunk back when we were dating."

I tested it in-store and ended up buying it because of my first impression that it was substantially similar to the original but with better longevity—winning on that front but not actually resembling the original at all. Longevity-wise, this is easily 12 hours, which is impressive even for A-men who struggle to last that long on me. The scent has this strong cherry syrup note that hits hard from the top notes and carries through to the drydown. I've been noticing it a lot, and it reminded me of the opening of 1 Million. Overall, though, I don't really detect most of the listed notes. For me, it's just this linear cherry syrup and cedar vibe from start to finish.